Tahini Sesame Paste Shortbread Recipes

Steps:

• Toast sesame seeds: Put them in a nonstick pan over medium-low heat and stir every 30 seconds until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Pour onto a large plate to cool.
• Combine butter, confectioners' sugar and tahini in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until smooth, 4 to 5 minutes. Scrape bowl. Add flour and salt, and mix on low speed until dough is smooth.
• Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface. Divide it in half and knead until smooth. Roll each piece of dough into a log about 1 inch in diameter.
• Roll each log in sesame seeds, coating logs completely. They may be difficult to maneuver, but they patch up easily. Wrap them tightly in parchment paper, twisting at each end. Refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
• Heat oven to 300 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Slice logs into 1/4-inch-thick coins and place on prepared baking sheets 2 inches apart. Bake until firm around edges and not colored, 14 to 16 minutes. Cool completely on baking sheet. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Steps:

• Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 350°F. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, sugar, and honey in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in tahini, then add dry ingredients in 2 batches, beating after each addition until fully combined. Dough will be slightly sticky.
• Place sesame seeds in a small bowl. Scoop out heaping tablespoons of dough (about 1 oz.) and roll into balls. Dip tops of balls in sesame seeds, pressing to adhere, and place, sesame side up, on 2 parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 2" apart. Bake cookies, rotating baking sheets halfway through, until golden brown, 13-15 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets (cookies will firm as they cool).

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375F.
• With a food processor or by hand, cream the butter with the tahini.
• Add the salt and brown sugar.
• Blend until smooth.
• Sprinkle in the flour, blending well.
• Mix in the chopped nuts.
• The dough will be very stiff.
• Lightly butter two 7-inch pie plates or shallow baking pans.
• Press the dough to evenly cover the bottom and sides of the pie plates to a thickness of no more than 1/4 inch.
• Press a few whole nuts into the surface to decorate.
• Bake the shortbread for 15 minutes and then check it frequently, every couple of minutes, and remove it from the oven as soon as the edges are golden brown.
• Be careful not to overbake it.
• While it's still warm, cut each shortbread into 8 or 10 wedges in the pan; don't wait until it's cool or it will crumble.